I’ve found myself turning to these a lot lately, when I’ve felt like a little something sweet for afternoon tea… or something to fill the gaping hole that the departure from our van, our home, is starting to leave. A simple cookie made with just a few pantry staples, that are super simple to whip up in less than 30 minutes.
They’re chewy and barely sweet, but sweet enough – I use dates for their caramel flavour and to add minerals and fibre, but you could replace this with 2 Tbsp of your sweetener of choice. Nut butter provides all-important protein and tahini adds a good dose of calcium. My recipe calls for crunchy peanut butter, cos that’s the kind of girl I am, but you could use smooth and any nut butter really. I quite like eating these cookies straight from the freezer, when they’re deliciously cold and chewy.
Peanut, Tahini & Date Cookies
Makes: 12 – Prep time: 10 minutes – Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup (250g) crunchy peanut butter (or almond or Macadamia)
2 medjol dates, pitted
2 Tbsp boiling water
1 Tbsp hulled tahini
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 organic or free-range egg
Pinch of sea salt
Optional: 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, to garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 160’C.
- Line a baking try with baking paper.
- Combine dates and boiling water in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 minutes.
- Add dates and water, nut butter, tahini, vanilla, egg and salt to food processed and mix until combined.
- Scoop 1 Tbsp of the mixture out and roll in to a ball – the mixture is meant to be sticky – and place on a baking sheet with enough space between each to allow them to be flattened.
- Once you’ve rolled all your balls, use wet fingers or a wet fork to press the balls in to a cookie shape.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until they just start to golden.
- Allow to cool and keep in an air tight container for a couple or days or freeze.
